After Tartarus
by Annabeth's Sister
Summary: After Tartarus, Percy and Annabeth realize maybe they can go back to normal after all. And maybe going back to normal isn't even that hard. Oneshot. T for dark concepts.
1. Chapter 1

Percy and Annabeth barely have time to collect themselves after freaking defeating Gaea in Tartarus when they're dragged to a damn _Olympian hearing_.

The two demigods have been to hell and back, passing through a place a son of _Hades_ nearly goes insane in, and they're expected to go to an effing _council meeting_? They need rest! They need time to recuperate, to collect themselves, and five hours after they get back to their world, Percy and Annabeth are dragged to Olympus!

They're tired out of their minds, need sleep and food, and Annabeth needs serious ankle help. But they have to go, so they go.

All the way up the elevator, Percy and Annabeth are comfortably silent, reveling in visibility, and each other after the shock.

Annabeth's bad foot is held up as she wraps her arms sideways around Percy's neck and he wraps an arm around her waist, Annabeth using him to support her. They haven't had time to change yet, so their clothes are still literally rags on their skin.

Annabeth, being five-foot-ten, only weighs only approximately ninety pounds; eating only nectar and ambrosia sparingly for weeks does that to one's system; Percy weighs around 100 pounds, and neither look healthy.

When the elevator dings open, they are a rather odd sight. Two ragtag demigods, one practically carrying the other, walking surely down the walkway to Olympus.

Percy hears the whispers.

"That must be Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase."

"Apparently, Percy could have let go of Annabeth and let her fall on her own, but he loved her so much he fell too."

"Good thing he did. Look at the state she's in."

Percy sighs and continues helping Annabeth hobble along to the throne room.

They're suddenly greeted by Apollo.

"Hey— whoa there, pretty, is your ankle oka— no, it's not okay. I'll fix that."

And with a sudden cry of pain from Annabeth and a sigh, her ankle is straight again, and they both feel just a bit better.

Percy gently takes her arms in his hands and slowly helps her put her weight on the ankle. It holds her weight without snapping, and Annabeth smiles. Ecstatic, she hops on each foot and jogs back and forth, suddenly running back to Percy and slamming him in a hug with so much force that Percy's sent regaining his balance with a little spin and a small smile.

"Let's go," he whispers in her ear, and the two of them, hand in hand, start walking to the throne room.

"Perseus Jackson," Zeus booms as they enter. "Annabeth Chase."

They nod respectively.

"You have done a great service to Olympus."

"Thank you, my lord," Percy mutters.

"We will help you on your paths to recovery."

Their heads shoot up. The gods— helping their children directly?

"Without you, we would have perished and Ancient Laws destroyed, therefore, we are breaking Ancient Laws in this situation. Your godly parents will be at your disposal and you will start recovering."

"Th-thank you, my lord," Percy whispers in awe.

"We have spoken with Morpheus, and he is here now."

Morpheus, god of dreams, walks from the shadows. "Stand straight, both of you."

Percy and Annabeth stand as tall as they can, and Morpheus walks in a circle around them.

Stopping in front of the king of the gods, he says, "they have experienced too much to prevent nightmares. But I will say, after seeing their minds, in the presence of one another, the nightmares will be less severe."

"Great," Athena faintly grumbles dryly, slumping down in her seat. "They must sleep in the same bed. Could this get any worse?"

Percy hides a smile upon hearing her words, but brings his attention back to Morpheus. "So, if we're not with each other when the nightmares come—"

"It will be entirely intolerable; you will not be able to stand it for too long. I am sorry, I can do nothing; you were too traumatized during your stay in… Tartarus."

Percy sighs. "Okay, another obstacle we've got to deal with."

"It's fine," Annabeth whispers in a hoarse voice, resting her hand on his forearm. "Is that all?" she asks Morpheus.

He nods.

Zeus looks to Percy. "The gods have decided to grant you a few gifts. Several are small, but we will say that you and Annabeth shall live in basic peace for the rest of your lives. There will be some disruption; random monster attacks, etcetera, but no quests. This has been determined by the Fates themselves. And as for your other gifts…"

The elevator, a distance away, faintly dings, and for some reason Percy's gut compels him to notice it.

A scampering of feet is heard, and an awestruck voice, "my god— gods, look at the— how is it possible for this place to float over the empire state?"

"Dad?" Annabeth whispers, turning on her heels, eyes welling up with tears, outstretching her hands as he rounds the corner.

He sees her, tearing up as well, and he runs to his daughter, engulfing her in his arms, burying his face in her neck, muttering, "my baby," eyes spilling over as Annabeth cries.

Percy watches them, nearly sobbing himself, and he chokes back a sob as familiar brown hair rounds the corner as well.

"Mom!" he cries out, frozen to the ground in shock, and Sally stands in front of her son, looking at him, love burning in her gaze.

"Oh gods, Percy, what happened to you?" she whispers, stroking his face with her fingertips, standing to her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his forehead, all the while as tears drip from Percy's eyes.

Sally takes Percy's head in her hands and pulls it down until their cheeks are touching. Taking a shaky breath, Sally smiles as Percy wraps his arms around his mother and hugs her as if the world is ending and she can save him.

She cries into Percy's shoulder, and Percy cries with her.

They break apart to find Frederick and Annabeth have as well, and Sally runs to Annabeth to greet her, and Frederick walks to Percy.

Smiling at Percy, he says, "be good to my daughter," and takes Percy into a hug as well.

Percy mutters "I will," before breaking apart and finding his mother and his girlfriend.

"You wanna go down now?" Percy says, sniffling. Annabeth wipes her eyes and smiles up at Percy, taking his hand.

The four leave Olympus later, with a goodbye wave from Frederick to Athena. She starts at his smile and wave, but she sits up straighter and gives him a soft smile and wave back.

—

When Percy and Annabeth get back to camp the next day, the entire camp swarms the two, and even Chiron cannot settle them.

When the crowd has died down, Chiron canters forward and hugs the two. "How are you?" he asks.

"Okay," Percy says. After a moment, "not that great," he admits.

"What did the gods say at the hearing?"

"Morpheus said that the nightmares will be so bad that we won't be able to cope unless we're with each other," Annabeth answers.

"Oh." Chiron scratches the back of his head. "I guess I'll have to revoke the 'no two of the other gender and different godly parent in the same cabin' rule for you two."

Percy nearly smiles. "Yeah."

Chiron sighs. "That's fine. Do you two want to eat anything?"

"I'll talk to my son before he eats, thank you, Chiron," a voice says, and Percy spins around before he can process it, seeing Poseidon behind him, smiling down at Percy, almost like a real father.

He takes Percy by his shoulder and leads his son to the beach. "Percy, what you did for Annabeth before falling into Tartarus was the most amazing thing I've seen any of my children do. Practically dying with your love. But you beat the odds. You survived."

Percy nods, looking at his father.

Poseidon looks at Percy kindly once more. "Your mother raised you well," he says before fading into mist.

Percy walks alone to the Mess Hall, hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched, and he finds Annabeth sitting at his table and he seats himself next to her, gently placing a kiss to her cheek. Annabeth gives a soft smile and finds his hand under the table.

They eat quietly, ignoring the eyes.

—

After dinner, the two skip the campfire and go to Annabeth's cabin, Percy helping Annabeth pack her sleeping stuff to take to his cabin.

They're walking to his cabin, when Annabeth decides she's going to isolate herself from her siblings because they'll treat her weirdly, so they go back and take all of her belongings and transport them to his cabin.

She has finished loading a desk and her supplies when Percy looks up to Annabeth rather shyly.

"Um, m-my bed or separate?"

Annabeth nearly laughs, he's so adorable.

"Separate," she says.

"That's what I— I thought," Percy stumbles.

"Thanks," Annabeth says.

—

"Um, so we sleep now?" Percy asks, and Annabeth nods at him, climbing into the bed next to his.

Percy climbs into his bed, sleep overtaking his body.

. . .

The nightmare hits him harder than ever before.

Heart-shaking, scream-inducing, torturous dreams of Annabeth. Annabeth dying, Annabeth joining Gaea, Annabeth being possessed by Gaea, Annabeth sacrificing him for the world.

Annabeth!

Annabeth!

Annabeth!

Annabeth!

Annabeth!

"Percy!" he hears faintly in his mind, and he recognizes the voice, but not enough.

Annabeth!

Annabeth!

Annabeth!

"Percy!" the voice cuts in again, was it— thick with tears?

He concentrates on the voice—

_Annabeth_!

Percy's eyes, weirdly streaming with tears shoot open to see Annabeth's tear-tracked face smiling down at him in relief.

"You— you were screaming my name, and— y-you were thrashing around and— and when I screamed your name, you— you barely recognized my voice."

"I'm sorry," Percy whispers, pulling Annabeth to his chest.

"It's not your fault, Perce," Annabeth says, "I was just worried about you."

"I get what Morpheus said now," Percy says.

Annabeth nods, burying her face into his chest.

Percy strokes her hair, and Annabeth pulls away quietly and slips into her bed as Percy falls asleep.

—

The next night Percy is awakened by whimpers, instantly jumping to Annabeth' side. He strokes her hair as she trembles, and the trembling fades. But her eyebrows scrunch in frustration and she moans, letting out a cry.

"Percy," she gasps.

Percy starts, and takes Annabeth's hand in his own.

She takes her other hand and grabs the front of his t-shirt, clenching the cloth in her fist, holding Percy to her desperately.

He slowly disentangles Annabeth from him, realizing what he's supposed to do. Gently fitting his arms under Annabeth's legs and around her waist, Percy lifts her to his slightly larger bed, giving her more space. She quiets, and Percy starts moving to her bed when Annabeth whimpers his name once more and blindly reaches for him.

He moves to her side and places her hand against his cheek. "I'm here," he whispers, watching in agony as she suffers. Tears spill from his eyes as he watches Annabeth cry in her dream.

He takes both Annabeth's hands and places them against his wet cheeks, cracking. Tears spill faster and harder, and sobs are heard.

"Annabeth," he says through his tears. "I'm right here. I'm right here, Annabeth, and I love you."

She whimpers, but her eyes slowly open, and she sees her boyfriend's tear-stained face and she reaches her hand out weakly to touch the wetness and wipe his tears.

Annabeth cups Percy's cheek and he leans into her hand, more tears spilling.

"Why us?" he whispered to Annabeth. "Why did we fall?"

Annabeth shakes her head and helps her arms out.

"Oh, do you want a hug?" Percy asks.

Annabeth shakes her head. "Stay with me," she whispers.

Percy feels incredibly awkward, but he climbs in and rests Annabeth's back against his front, but she turns to face him, looking down at his t-shirt, and up at his eyes.

"Was it that bad?" Percy asks.

Annabeth nods sadly. She takes her hand and delicately traces his face, gently and beautifully moving a lock of Percy's hair from his face. A tear slips from Percy's eye at how broken she looks.

"Why am I crying so much?" Percy asks, burying his nose into the crook of her neck, wrapping his arms around her body.

Annabeth gives a weak chuckle, but says nothing.

They both fall asleep that way.

—

They leave the confinements of camp for the first time after Tartarus seven months after they got back to camp.

Hand-in-hand, they walk to a coffee shop and get coffees, relaxing at the place to enjoy one another and enjoy living real life. They for the first time in a long time, engage in "small talk", Percy talking about sword fighting and training and Annabeth talking about architecture and the Athena cabin.

They walk back to camp hand-in-hand, and on the way Annabeth is able to buy a six-year-old a new ice cream come because the girl's fell. Percy watches with love.

When they get back to camp, Annabeth is tired, and she wants to take a nap. Both settle in Percy's bed and Annabeth falls asleep dreamlessly, with a child-like smile against Percy's chest, and Percy twirls a lock of Annabeth's hair between his fingers.

Eventually, he falls asleep too. And they don't dream at all.

—

They slowly become more and more like teenagers, then more and more like twenty-year-olds, and suddenly, when Percy and Annabeth are on a date and they're both twenty-three, Annabeth realizes, as they both walk out of the fancy restaurant laughing and smiling, holding hands, that Tartarus is long behind them now. When Percy leans over with a smirk and a laugh to to press a kiss onto Annabeth's lips, she can't help but feel that Tartarus also helped them change for the better.

—

They're twenty-five when Percy asks Annabeth to marry him.

They're sitting in his cabin (Annabeth had officially moved in there years ago), and Percy is watching Annabeth draw "pretty buildings" (his words), Annabeth's designs for Olympus long finished.

He just watches her, and Annabeth feels his gaze, turning to catch his lips with hers, and in that kiss, Percy realizes that he needs to stay with this woman forever.

"Marry me," he breathes after they pull apart for air.

She immediately says yes.

**Hey everybody! Sorry if the end seems rushed! Tell me if I've got any typos, and I'll fix them!**

**For this story, you've got to imagine that there is no camp half blood versus camp Jupiter battle. Sorry! **

**Ratt **


	2. Terrible AN that you still must read

Oh. my. gosh.

I hate to be so blunt about this to all my fanfiction readers, but I'd better say this straight:

I'm not going to be doing fanfiction anymore. ever.

The explanation: My family decided that we were all "addicted to technology", so we have set up a household renunciation of screens except for work and school.

Which means I don't get my iPod at all.

Which means no fanfiction.

My parents set the password of my iPad so that my sister and I can't unlock it, but it happened to be unlocked and this is probably the last night of unlimited iPod (and fanfiction) use for a long time, and I've got to use the time to tell uou guys and explain.

I can still check my email, (fifteen minutes a day) so I can see your reviews and favorites and follows (they make me smile), so don't hesitate to leave reviews anyways.

Once in a while, I might be able to go onto fanfiction for a short update to Percabeth Drabbles, but… rarely.

I am horrified to be delivering such news on such a pleasant time as 1 day after Percy's birthday, but I'm on fanfiction today and today only.

Fortunately, I didn't startpublishing Son of Colors yet, since each chapter has a cliffhanger ending and it would be torturous if you didn't read that for a long time. :)

But I will sill work on Son of Colors, and when it's done I'll publish it.

I am so sorry about this, but I needed to tell you...

Ratt


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